Patents Examined by Allen Flanigan
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Patent number: 9683785Abstract: A heat exchanger includes a housing and a fluid flow conduit located within a cavity formed in the housing, the fluid flow conduit including an outer tube located adjacent to an inner wall of the housing and an inner tube in fluid communication with the outer tube, the inner tube being located between the outer tube and a longitudinal axis of the housing. An inlet port is located on the housing, the inlet port being in fluid communication with the cavity. The heat exchanger includes an outlet port located on the housing, the outlet port being in fluid communication with the cavity.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2013Date of Patent: June 20, 2017Assignee: Waterco LimitedInventor: Pradeep Kumar Tandon
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Patent number: 9683769Abstract: An insulated icemaking compartment is provided in the fresh food compartment of a bottom mount refrigerator. The icemaking compartment may be integrally formed with the liner of the fresh food compartment, or alternatively, may be modular for installation anywhere in the fresh food compartment. A removable bin assembly with a front cover normally seals the icemaking compartment to maintain the temperature in the compartment. A cold air duct formed in the rear wall of the refrigerator supplies cold air from the freezer compartment to the icemaking compartment. A return air duct directs a portion of the air from the icemaking compartment back to the freezer compartment. An air vent in the icemaking compartment directs another portion of air into the fresh food compartment. A control system provides for controlling refrigerator functions in a manner that promotes energy efficiency.Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 2015Date of Patent: June 20, 2017Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Tim L. Coulter, Thomas E. Gose, Steven G. Herndon, James H. Jenkins, Bill J. Koons, Brent A. Kramer, Scott W. Leimkuehler, Dean A. Martin, Alvin V. Miller, Kevin Lee Noel, Mauro M. Oliveira, Lester J. Ott, Ron S. Paulsen, Chad J. Rotter, David Allen Stauffer, Kyle B. Van Meter, Alan M. Welch, Robert L. Wetekamp
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Patent number: 9677825Abstract: A shell and tube heat exchanger include heat surface tubes (6) surrounded by a shell (1), the tubes communicating with an inlet end chamber (11) through a tube sheet (5) at one end and with an outlet end chamber (12) through a tube sheet at the other end, and in the shell side of the tube heat exchanger there is at least one baffle plate made of flat strips for supporting the heat surface tubes and guiding the shell-side flow. The flat strips forming the baffle plate are straight and thinner than the distance between the tubes to be supported, and the required support is achieved by placing each flat strip of the baffle plate in an inclined position with respect to the heat surface tubes so that one of the crosswise edges of the flat strip is supporting one and the other is supporting the other of adjacent tubes.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2011Date of Patent: June 13, 2017Assignee: RINHEAT OYInventors: Arvi Artamo, Pentti Juhola
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Patent number: 9677778Abstract: A modular heating and cooling unit comprising an independent set of headers for each of the heating and cooling loads and the source. A bank of these modular units provides a system that is capable of incremental simultaneous heating and cooling and redundancy. Valves in the internal piping of the unit eliminate the need for valves in the headers between units. This substantially reduces the overall footprint of the unit. Because of the parallel flow between the heat exchangers and the heating and cooling load, the modules can be operated in cooling mode and heating mode in any order.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 2011Date of Patent: June 13, 2017Assignee: CLIMACOOL CORP.Inventor: Ross A. Miglio
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Patent number: 9681590Abstract: A cooling system that cools HV equipment includes a compressor that circulates refrigerant, a condenser that condenses the refrigerant, a gas-liquid separator that stores the refrigerant in liquid form that is condensed by the condenser, an expansion valve that reduces a pressure of the refrigerant, an evaporator that vaporizes the refrigerant that is reduced in pressure by the expansion valve, a first passage and a second passage through which the refrigerant flows from the gas-liquid separator toward the expansion valve, and that are provided in parallel, and a cooling portion that is provided along the second passage and cools the heat source using the refrigerant. The refrigerant in liquid form flows from the gas-liquid separator through the second passage.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2012Date of Patent: June 13, 2017Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, NIPPON SOKEN, INCInventors: Kazuhide Uchida, Yuichi Ohno, Yoshiaki Kawakami, Yuki Jojima, Eizo Takahashi, Kousuke Sato
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Patent number: 9677820Abstract: A liquid cooling heat dissipation structure includes a heat-conducting substrate, a fluid-splitting board, a fluid-conducting board, and a liquid supply module. The heat-conducting substrate has a heat-conducting body contacting a heat generation source and a plurality of heat-dissipating fins disposed on the heat-conducting body. The fluid-splitting board is disposed on the heat-dissipating fins. The fluid-conducting board is disposed on the fluid-splitting board. The liquid supply module includes an external cover body detachably disposed on the heat-conducting body and at least two pumps detachably disposed on the external cover body. The external cover body has at least one liquid inlet and at least one liquid outlet, and cooling liquid flows into the external cover body through the at least one liquid inlet and flows out of the external cover body through the at least one liquid outlet by driving one or all of the at least two pumps.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 2015Date of Patent: June 13, 2017Assignee: COOLER MASTER CO., LTD.Inventors: Shui-Fa Tsai, Chun-Hung Lin
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Patent number: 9669499Abstract: A double-wall pipe includes an outer pipe, and an inner pipe disposed inside the outer pipe. An outer wall of the inner pipe has thereon a ridge portion, which defines a groove portion extending in a longitudinal direction of the inner pipe. The outer pipe and the inner pipe are bent to have a straight portion extending straightly, and a bend portion bent from the straight portion. In the straight portion, the outer pipe has an inside diameter that is larger than an outside diameter of an imaginary cylinder defined by an outer surface of the ridge portion of the inner pipe. Furthermore, the ridge portion of the inner pipe contacts an inside surface of the outer pipe to be radially squeezed and held by the outer pipe, in the bend portion. The double-wall pipe can be suitably used for a refrigerant cycle device.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2010Date of Patent: June 6, 2017Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, DENSO AIRS CORPORATIONInventors: Fumiaki Nakamura, Yoshiaki Takano, Shun Kurata, Takahisa Suzuki, Takashi Ono, Hiroki Naganawa, Kinji Ochiai, Hiroki Ohara
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Patent number: 9671168Abstract: A heat exchanger arrangement, for example for an internal combustion engine, having a brazed radiator block (1) which has flow paths (10) formed from pairs of plates and has flow ducts (3) between the plate pairs (P), wherein in each case at least one plate (11) of each plate pair has a plate elongation (12), and wherein the brazed radiator block is arranged in a housing (2) and, at its circumference, is sealed off with respect to the housing. To improve the sealing action between the radiator block (1) and the housing (2), it is provided according to the invention that the plate elongations (12) are formed such that a prescribed dimension of the brazed radiator block (1) can be set by means of deformation of the plate elongations (12).Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2013Date of Patent: June 6, 2017Assignee: Modine Manufacturing CompanyInventor: Rainer Glück
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Patent number: 9674977Abstract: An electric component box that accommodates therein an electric component, which includes: a control board that controls an air conditioner indoor unit; a power supply and indoor-outdoor wiring terminal block that is provided on the control board and is connected to a communication wire wired from the air conditioner indoor unit to an air conditioner outdoor unit and is connected to a power wire that supplies power; and a communication-wire terminal block that is provided on the control board and is connected to a communication wire for an external input.Type: GrantFiled: October 13, 2014Date of Patent: June 6, 2017Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric CorporationInventors: Shinya Kaneoya, Masahiko Takagi
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Patent number: 9664420Abstract: A secondary coolant refrigeration system powered primarily by a photovoltaic source and by an alternating current (AC) source as a backup is disclosed. The secondary coolant refrigeration system has a pump for pumping secondary coolant fluid through a secondary coolant fluid loop. The system includes a variable frequency drive for controlling the speed of the pump. The variable frequency drive includes drive circuitry configured to provide variable frequency power to the pump via an output interface. The variable frequency drive also includes a first interface configured to receive power from the photovoltaic source and a second interface configured to receive power from the AC source. The circuit is further configured to cause the variable speed drive to be powered by the photovoltaic source when the power received from the first interface is adequate and by the AC source when the power received from the first interface is not adequate.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 2013Date of Patent: May 30, 2017Assignee: Hill Phoenix, Inc.Inventors: John D. Bittner, John E. Bittner
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Patent number: 9664458Abstract: A supporting structure for vapor chamber includes a first and a second plate member, a supporting member, and a working fluid. The first and the second plate member together define a chamber between them. The supporting member is located in the chamber, and has at least one base portion and a plurality of supporting portions, such that a plurality of passages is formed on the supporting member. The working fluid is filled in the chamber to flow through the passages. With these arrangements, the supporting structure for vapor chamber can overcome the problems of deformation caused by thermal expansion or pressure and uncontrollable bottom flatness as found in the prior art and can be manufactured at reduced labor and time cost while provides upgraded heat transfer efficiency.Type: GrantFiled: December 25, 2014Date of Patent: May 30, 2017Assignee: Asia Vital Components Co., Ltd.Inventor: Sheng-Huang Lin
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Patent number: 9664429Abstract: A refrigerator includes a driving coupler to transmit a driving force and a connecting member to transmit the driving force of the driving coupler to a transfer member. The connecting member is rotated when interference with the driving coupler occurs in a process of connecting with the driving coupler and idles within a predetermined angle range regardless of the transfer member. With this constitution, even when ice cubes are loaded by the transfer member, the connecting member may be smoothly rotated. Thus, the driving coupler and the connecting member may be smoothly connected without an impact.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2014Date of Patent: May 30, 2017Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.Inventors: Jin Jeong, Do Hyung Kim, Kook Jeong Seo, Bong Su Son, Byung Suk An, Do Yun Jang, Kyoung Ki Park
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Patent number: 9657973Abstract: A refrigeration system is powered primarily by a photovoltaic source and by an alternating current (AC) source as a backup. A variable frequency drive is used for controlling a powered component of the refrigeration system. The variable frequency drive includes drive circuitry configured to provide variable frequency power via an output interface, a first interface configured to receive power from the photovoltaic source, a second interface configured to receive AC power from the AC source, a DC bus coupled to the drive circuitry and configured to transmit power to the drive circuitry. The drive circuitry receives power from the first interface when the power from the photovoltaic source is adequate to power the drive circuitry and receives power from the second interface when the power from the photovoltaic source is not adequate to power the drive circuitry.Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 2015Date of Patent: May 23, 2017Assignee: Hill Phoenix, Inc.Inventors: John D. Bittner, John E. Bittner
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Patent number: 9658000Abstract: A thermal connector configured to be placed within a recess of a heat sink between the heat sink and a heat generating component and transfer heat from the component to the heat sink, including a heat spreader configured to fit within the recess of the heat sink, a spring configured to sit between the heat spreader and with the heat sink and bias the heat spreader towards and away from the heat sink, a flexible membrane attached to the heat sink and the heat spreader and seal off the recess, and a phase change material that fills the recess, wherein the flexible membrane contains the phase change material and allows it to contract or expand in response to the movement of the heat spreader towards or away from the heat sink.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 2013Date of Patent: May 23, 2017Assignee: Abaco Systems, Inc.Inventors: Graham Charles Kirk, Stuart Connolly, Tao Deng, Zeshan Jabar Hussain, Binoy Milan Shah
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Patent number: 9651317Abstract: A first header collecting pipe is divided into an upper space corresponding to an upper heat exchange region and a lower space corresponding to a lower heat exchange region. The lower space is divided into a plurality of communication spaces corresponding respectively to auxiliary heat exchange parts of the lower heat exchange region. A second header collecting pipe is divided into a communication space corresponding to both of a first main heat exchange part and the third auxiliary heat exchange part, and into communication spaces corresponding respectively to other main heat exchange parts and the other auxiliary heat exchange parts. Each of pairs of communication space and communication space is connected to an associated one of communication pipes.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 2012Date of Patent: May 16, 2017Assignee: DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, LTD.Inventors: Masanori Jindou, Yoshio Oritani, Hirokazu Fujino, Toshimitsu Kamada
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Patent number: 9651315Abstract: A heat exchanger and fins thereof are provided. The fin includes a plurality of first fin units and a plurality of second fin units which are arranged in parallel and alternately, and each first fin unit includes a first louver facing an inflow direction of fluid, and each second fin unit includes a second louver facing the inflow direction of the fluid, the first louver and the second louver are arranged in parallel, and the first louver and the second louver are staggered in the inflow direction of the fluid to form a first space between the first louver and the second louver, and at least one of first louvers or at least one of second louvers has a varied width.Type: GrantFiled: September 3, 2013Date of Patent: May 16, 2017Assignee: Hangzhou Sanhua Research Institute Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kai Cui, Linjie Huang, Xiaodong Zhou, Xiaoyang Xu, Zhou Lv
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Patent number: 9651291Abstract: Disclosed are an ice maker and a refrigerator including the ice maker. An exemplary ice making tray of the ice maker or refrigerator includes an ice separating protrusion that extends outwardly from one surface. The refrigerator includes ice separating levers connected by hinges to the tray housing, with the ice making tray therebetween, and at least one of which has a groove that rotates an ice separating protrusion of the ice making tray together while rotating around the hinges, and includes a handle that is longer than the ice making tray, in front of the ice making tray.Type: GrantFiled: February 21, 2014Date of Patent: May 16, 2017Assignee: Dongbu Daewoo Electronics CorporationInventor: Byung Soo Kim
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Patent number: 9643742Abstract: An ice distribution system and method according to which ice-filled bags are distributed within a unit such as, for example, an ice merchandiser.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2013Date of Patent: May 9, 2017Assignee: REDDY ICE CORPORATIONInventor: Mark C. Metzger
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Patent number: 9638472Abstract: A cooling recover system and method are disclosed. A fluid, such as water, is chilled and provided to a cooling coil to cool and dehumidify air passing over the cooling coil. The fluid is output from the cooling coil through an outlet, and at least a portion of the fluid from the outlet of the cooling coil is provided to an inlet of a heat transfer coil to reheat air passing over the heat transfer coil. The fluid is warmed as it passes through the cooling coil, which warmer temperature serves to reheat the air passing over the heat transfer coil.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2013Date of Patent: May 2, 2017Inventor: Scot M. Duncan
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Patent number: 9631876Abstract: A heat exchanger includes a stack of heat exchanger plate pairs that each define an internal volume and include an inlet and an outlet such that a first medium flows from the inlet to the outlet along a flow axis. The inlets together form an inlet header through the heat exchanger plate pairs and the outlets together form an outlet header through the heat exchanger plate pairs. The heat exchanger also includes an array of fins disposed between and in thermal contact with adjacent heat exchanger plate pairs. The array of fins defines flow channels between the adjacent heat exchanger plate pairs such that a second medium flows through the flow channels along the flow axis. One end of the array of fins includes a cut-out area which causes a first portion of the array of fins to be positioned laterally from either the inlet header or the outlet header.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2013Date of Patent: April 25, 2017Assignee: MAHLE International GmbHInventors: Mark James Zima, Prasad Shripad Kadle, Veeraj Chopra, Debangshu Majumdar